Humpback whales hang out in front of the Eagle Glacier in Juneau, Alaska. The humpback whale is a baleen whale and can grow to more than fifty feet long. It is one of the largest animals on earth.
As glaciers scour the Alaska landscape, minerals are released that find their way into our ocean systems. These minerals are a vital macronutrient for phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are eaten by krill and other zooplankton. Baleen whales eat krill and small schooling fish like herring. Alaska, with its many glaciers, provides a rich feeding ground for the humpback whale.